Campaign Trail Community Continues to Protest Bus Privatisation

Community Continues to Protest Bus Privatisation

The issue of the NSW Government’s bus privatisation has continued to receive massive attention in the media, and broad community support, particularly due to the link to COVID-19 and our push to have passengers wear masks where there are not enough green dots to physically distance. We used this opportunity to also leverage commitments around protecting industrial entitlements in any transition to private operations and a commitment to community consultation about any moves to remove routes or stops. The Union’s focus is now on keeping the government to their commitment of having only 1 employer. This is the root of all the problems our members in Region 6 have been suffering. It gives us a chance to fight back if the company tries to introduce another industrial instrument (and create a two-tiered employment situation like in region 6). When there is more than one company involved, region 6 has shown everyone what to expect. Once we know who has won a region, we will be sitting down to negotiate an Enterprise Agreement. The starting point for this negotiation will be the new STA Award and we have been telling companies for the last few months that if they want things to go smoothly for them, no major changes will be made at all. We will continue to work with the Our Transport community, in impacted regions to ensure this consultation is genuine and robust. The NSW Government continues to take an axe to our bus network as the privatisation continues, with major changes in Region 7 that came into effect on January 24. Ryde Mayor Jeremy Laxale called for an urgent halt to the changes, with a petition

against the new schedule amassing 600 signatures.

Finally, as COVID continues to reappear, we got a commitment from the NSW Government on the mandatory wearing of face mask on public transport. Even as restrictions eased in other areas, this requirement remained in place, providing some protection for transport workers and passengers.

Our Community Survey

Minister Constance committed verbally to consulting with the community about any changes to routes and stops in Regions 7, 8 and 9. When this commitment was reneged on, we launched a survey through the Our Transport community seeking feedback about what routes and stops mattered the most to them. We received nearly 2,000 responses with 92% saying they had not been consulted on changes to routes and stops. The results of this survey were launched in a report on March 11 with series of recommendations about how TfNSW should consult with communities impacted by privatisation. This report and recommendations have been sent to Minister Constance and we will engage the Our Transport community in an online action to send the report directly to the Minister and continue to highlight the issue in the media.

Keep our Buses Public

On May 3, Transport Minister Andrew Constance announced the axing of 25 bus routes in the Eastern suburbs, in yet another betrayal of local residents and drivers who have campaigned tirelessly to save their transport services. To add insult to injury, the Government’s announcement came with an invitation for community feedback - the first time this has been asked for since the privatisation of the network was announced. The Government’s blatant disregard for the community, including its own constituents, baffles belief. But the community won this consultation, and now it’s time to hammer the message home. Working with members, the Our Transport Community, community groups, and local Members of Parliament on May 30, hundreds of people attended a rally in Randwick. The community is committed to participating in the NSW Governments flawed consultation process. It will continue to call out the NSW Government as they attempt to strip the routes and stops across the network that the community so clearly relies on.